Bedstead-fastening



NITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIcE.

J. C. JEFFRIES, OF MOUNT VERNON, INDIANA.

BEDSTEAD-FASTENING.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 24,562, dated June 28, 1859.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J. C. JEEFRIES, resident of Mount Vernon, in the county of Posey and State of Indiana, have invented and made certain new and useful Improvements in Bedstead-Fastenings; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and eXact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, Figure 1, being a representation of a post and rail connected. Fig. 2, represents a face view of a post with one of the metal plates let into the post, and termed the female plate. Fig. 8 is a representation of the male plate attached to end of the rail. Fig. 4 represents a vertical sectional view of the post, rail and plates interlocked together.

The nature of my improvements, and the construction thereof I describe herewith as follows:

In Fig. 1, at a, a, a, a, a, is shown a metallic plate of suitable size, either of cast, or wrought (of strap or boiler iron) of suficient thickness to afford the required strength. This plate, is punched, or may be cast with two or more hitch, or catch tongues, b, b, L, la, Figs. 2 and 4, and one end of this plate is formed with two hooks or turned up catches c, c, Fig. 2, while the other end is a plain edge the whole width of the plate as at CZ Fig. 2. This plate is let into the post e, c, e, e', e, its outer face being on level with the surface of the post. Immediately above the edge 0l, formed in the post, are two sloping mortises f, f, f. This female plate is screwed securely in its place, as shown in Fig. 2. It will be observed that the tongues Z), Z), are bent or inclined outwardly and upwardly. In Fig. 3, the male plate g, g, g, g, is also formed with tongues l1., L, bent outwardly and downwardly, and has also two catches or hooks z', z', z', turned outwardly. The ends of this plate are suiiiciently long to be bent, at right angles as at J, J, J, so as to admit of being attached to the upper and lower sides or surfaces of the rails, said turned ends, being fastened by screws le, k.

Toward the end of the rail on the upper surface, is formed a channel or dovetail shaped groove, and within this, below the surface of the rail is fastened the turned end of the male plate, and in order to hide the fastened end from View, a corresponding shaped dovetail strip L, L, L, Figs. 3 and 4 is used.

In order that the tongues I), b, it, la, and hooks c, c-z', t' interlock in their places the wood of the post and rail has to be taken out suiiiciently therefor.

In Fig. 4. The post and rail are shown as securely connected by the interlocking of the plates, and in order to accomplish the fastening thereof the post is held in position, while the end of the rail is connected therewith, by bringing the tongues one over the other, and pressing down the rail.

When necessary to detach or separate the post and rail, a slight tap on the underside of the rail, and the lifting thereof will bring about the desired result.

By my simple mode of att-aching rails and posts it will be found, that, all chance of the bedstead being infested by vermin is entirely prevented, While at the same time the connection is most perfect and substantial, and is brought about with the greatest facility and certainty.

The plates may be either stamped out of sheet or plate metal, or cast, with the tongue and hook formations thereon.

Having described the nature of my improvements, what I claim as new and desire to have secured by Letters Patent of the United States, is

The construction use and application of a bedstead fastening formed with male and female plates a, a,g, g, Figs. 2 and 3 provided with tongues b, 1)--L L and hooks c, 0 2', z', when arranged in combination with a post and rail substantially in the manner as set forth and described.

J. C. JEFFRIES. [Ls] Witnesses:

HILLER STEWART, J oHN L. BARTEs. 

